In the long and storied history of the UAE’s oldest sporting event, rarely has any player been quite as dominant as Maddison Levi was at last year’s Dubai Sevens.
The Australian powerhouse scored a record 15 tries across the two days of the women’s world series event. Her excellence was capped by a length-of-the-field try to help settle a thrilling final against perennial rivals New Zealand.
It used to be a quirk of Dubai that those two sides would alternate winning the women’s tournament here. But for the past five years, Australia have had a monopoly on the title.
It is no coincidence that run of success, which has earned the Australians the moniker “Queens of the Desert”, has followed Levi’s arrival in the side.
She was named World Rugby sevens player of the year in 2024, having been on the podium for two years before that.
It is no wonder she – and younger sister Teagan – were so widely sought after in Australian women’s sport as juniors.
They were courted by teams in various different codes, and Levi herself played a year of Australian Rules football before finding a place in the national sevens set up.
Stardom, it appeared plain to everyone else to see, was predestined. Levi herself, though, is not so sure.
“We did dance for 10 years,” Levi, 23, said. “Growing up, I wanted to be a dancer and travel the world dancing. And, looking back at videos, I don’t know how [her parents] supported me so much because I was terrible at it.
“I just wanted to be happy. I think it's funny because we talked to a lot of people that grew up with us and they said, ‘Oh, you guys were destined for success in whatever you did.’
“That's credit to mum and dad. They always were by our side, never pushed us to do anything, but were always supportive.”
Despite being so young, Levi already has Sevens World Cup and Commonwealth Games winners’ medals to her name. But there is plenty more she wants to achieve yet.
“I think just having that drive and having that work ethic that has been instilled from my parents; no matter what Teags and I did, we always went 100 percent, we always tried to get better,” Levi said.
“I think that helps us become better athletes each year. I know I've received a couple of accolades, but it just makes me hungrier to be better.
“And, yes, I did cool, amazing stuff last year, but how can I top that this year and how can I become a better player and just keep growing as an athlete?”
Australia win 2024 Dubai Sevens - in pictures
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Emirates Dubai Sevens Champions Australia after beating New Zealand in the final on December 1, 2024. Victor Besa / The National. -
Dubai Sevens champions Australia and Fiji celebrate victory. Victor Besa / The National -
Australia score a try against New Zealand. Victor Besa / The National -
Action from the final between New Zealand and Australia. Victor Besa / The National -
New Zealand score a try against Australia. Victor Besa / The National -
Australia players celebrate their fifth successive Dubai title. Victor Besa / The National -
Action from the final between New Zealand and Australia. Victor Besa / The National -
Australia players after the match. Victor Besa / The National -
Australia and Fiji celebrate after winning their finals. Victor Besa / The National -
Australia celebrate their victory. Victor Besa / The National
Levi points out that meeting Charlotte Caslick, the Australian great, when she was young helped tipped her towards choosing sevens as her sport.
Caslick, a two-time World Rugby sevens player of the year, presented the sisters with a pair of Australia team-issue shorts, which Levi jokes neither would fit into now.
It was a moment that Levi has not forgotten, and made her realise the position of influence she is now in herself.
“You can't be what you can't see,” Levi said. “The girls have done so well to pioneer what they achieved. Having those girls come and reach out to us, and just watching them play in front of us, I think that helps grow the sport.
“It helps grow the sport, as young girls that want to be the exact same. The ability for them to play on Pitch 1, in a final game and to play where the professionals are playing, I think it helps grow the game just as much.”
Levi said the buzz created by playing at the same time as 18 other invitational tournaments in Dubai is what makes the tournament unique.
“We love playing in Dubai because of that atmosphere that it brings,” Levi said of an Australia side who are pushing for six in a row this weekend.
“We talk about growing the game and having the social comp playing on the outside, then you're able to walk across and watch the girls or boys that you aspire to become one day in that stadium.
“For us it's about that atmosphere, and that adrenaline that rushes through us having that packed stadium and playing in front of people that want to be where you are.
“I think it helps that our team are a bunch of entertainers and we just love putting on a show. That definitely helps.”
Australia begin their title defence when they face Japan on Pitch 1 at 11.42am on Saturday.
